Silva / Sonnen stadium snafu

Earlier this week we learned that the Silva vs Sonnen 2 stadium show wasn’t as locked up as you’d imagine it would be. Now it sounds like the whole thing might be moved to Las Vegas, which is a slightly less exciting prospect to say the least. Brazilian mega-stadium vs the same place half the UFCs are held? Yeah.

“O Globo” reported today that the bout will be moved to Las Vegas, and rumors indicate that it might happen in UFC’s July 7th show (UFC 148).

Anderson Silva’s manager Ed Soares told TATAME on Monday that the bout is already signed for June 23, in Rio de Janeiro, but his Black House partner, Jorge Guimaraes, told TATAME today that the plans could change.

“This situation is already being discussed. There are some speculations. What you heard, I heard too. It seems like there are no hotels to fit everybody with UN’s event, Rio+20”, Guiamares said.

“(Silva vs. Sonnen’s venue and date) will be announced by Dana White in a press conference in Brazil. Nothing is confirmed yet”.

I know the UFC likes to roll along like a well oiled machine and they’ve already laid the scheduling tracks before and after Silva / Sonnen 2. But if this is a case where a two or three week delay means still getting the fairytale fight we’ve all been waiting for (a potential riot inducing fairytale), then my inner fanboy would say wait a little bit and do it right.

Specific moments in MMA history matter. Griffin vs Bonnar comes to mind. Guida vs Henderson could have been another. Don’t tell me Silva vs Sonnen in a stadium couldn’t have a similar level-up effect in South America. It’s the kind of event legends are made of. And the UFC is debating scuttling it? Craziness.